Ruffing it in Lochar Field

Walking with the wigeon, but definitely not a duck. Mingling amongst the red shank, but look closer...

Walking with the wigeon, but definitely not a duck. Mingling amongst the red shank, but look closer – the legs not half so bright, the front whiter, the back much more speckled; light and dark far more defined. There is a ruff. At the beginning of the week only one was seen, then two, and today we have just been to look and four ruffs were just chilling by the edge of the water; preening.

On Monday a rather much larger bird stole the show. We were up early for the grey goose count, standing in front of the Salcot Observatory when a barn owl drifted silently past. And then, at length, glided back and for a few seconds alighted on a fence post and looked us in the eye before setting back off on its way – leaving as silently as it came.

Others silently minding their own business (and rather hoping the barn owl doesn’t notice them) are the bank voles – and we saw plenty around toady. One apparently very happy to continue merrily on with its day, stuffing it’s face with leaf after leaf, as we watched on.

7 black headed gulls were on the flood ground and standing on our breeding platforms, hopefully they will start nest making! We do have at least one tree sparrow making use of the new nest boxes put up by the staff cottages, which is great.

And earlier this week hares were seen boxing at the start of the Avenue, just past the Peter Scott Observatory.

Unable to visit us in person or missing your daily fix of swans, waders, and badgers’ antics, then click on the link below to check out our webcam which is set on the Whooper pond during the day, and then set to view the badger feeding area from 5pm onwards.

https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/caerlaveroc.

Tide Times:

Sat 02/04 14:02 9.6m

Sun 03/04 14:36 9.5m

Mon 04/04 15:08 9.2m

Tue 05/04 15:40 8.9m

Wed 06/04 16:14 8.4m

Thu 07/04 16:51 7.9m

Fri 08/04 17:38 7.3m

Sat 09/04 18:45 6.8m

Photo credit: Alex Hillier

As well as this week's highlights, you are likely to see the following on the reserve:

Birds

Mammals

Named Whooper Swans

Mute Swan

Hare

Yellow ZHD - Renouf

Greylag geese

Roe Deer

Yellow ZND - Rosie

Canada Geese

Weasel

Yellow ZLD - McMurdoston

Shelduck

Stoat

Orange XLX - Linda Graham

Mallard

Fox

Yellow ZLS - Handel

Gadwall

Otter

Yellow ZXP - Mary

Shoveler

BadgerRed APR - Elsie Barbara

Teal

Orange YFB - Eric Anthony

Moorhen

Yellow ZHV - Wampool

Cormorant

Yellow ZJS - Hendrik

Little Egret


Orange YSJ - Sheldon Whooper

Grey Heron

Orange YTF - Odette

Buzzard


Orange XKU - Solway Siren

Kestrel


Orange XLL - Chris

Peregrine Falcon

Yellow ZLA - Beatrice

Merlin

Yellow ZJI - Indigo Montoya

Sparrowhawk

Yellow ZJX - Polly

Golden Plover

Yellow ZVL - Nobby Nobkin

Oystercatcher

Yellow ZNP - Lucky Linda

Lapwing

Orange XLD - Donald Ivan

Common Sandpiper

Yellow ZFV - Giffnock

Redshank

Yellow ZLP - Keith John

Black-tailed Godwit

Yellow ZNC - Rowena Two

Curlew

Yellow ZSB - Sugar Baby

Snipe

Yellow ZPY - Sigurdswan

Black-headed Gull

Yellow ZJH - Aspen

Common Gull

Yellow ZJN - Nado

Herring Gull

Yellow ZVC - Ava-Grace

Great Black Backed Gull

Orange XLJ - Bernard

Wood Pigeon

Yellow ZJZ - Snoopy

Collared Dove

Yellow ZLJ - TJ Whooper

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Yellow ZNA - George

Skylark

Yellow ZNU - Janis

Yellowhammer

Redwing

Fieldfare

Meadow Pipit

Pied Wagtail

Dunnock

Chiffchaff

Song Thrush

Blackbird

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Wren

Great Tit

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Treecreeper

Jackdaw

Rook

Carrion Crow

Raven

Starling

House Sparrow

Tree Sparrow

Chaffinch

Linnet

Twite

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